After an election, the Governor-General sends for the leader of the party, or coalition, which has secured a majority in the House of Representatives, and commissions that person to assume the office of Prime Minister and to form a government. The incoming Prime Minister then goes about the process of finding members of his or her parliamentary party or coalition to serve as ministers in the Government.

The office of Prime Minister is not recognised by the Constitution, being a conventional part of the governmental arrangements.

The Prime Minister has the following powers:

advising the Sovereign on the appointment of the Governor-General

acting as the sole source of formal advice for the Governor-General

advising the Governor-General as to when Parliament should be dissolved

setting the date for House of Representatives elections

allocating positions in the Cabinet

chairing Cabinet meetings.

Ministers

It is customary for all ministers to be either a member of the House of Representatives or a Senator. If a minister is not an MP, it is obligatory for that minister to become an MP within three months of his/her appointment. Reshuffles of the ministry may occur at any time between elections. Ministers are invariably members of the same party or coalition as the Prime Minister.

The 58 ministries since Federation are listed in table 2.1.

In most cases, new governments are formed after general elections have been held to determine the composition of the House of Representatives. A new government could also be formed on any occasion between elections if the majority party changes its leader, or loses its majority (e.g. as a result of a by-election), or is defeated in an important vote in the House of Representatives.

Cabinet

In practice, government policy is determined by the most senior ministers meeting in a body known as Cabinet. Such meetings are chaired by the Prime Minister. The Governor-General does not attend such meetings. Cabinet is not a body that is recognised by the Constitution, being a conventional part of the governmental arrangements. Despite this, Cabinet effectively controls not only the legislative program, but also the departments of state. In effect, therefore, Cabinet is the dominant political and administrative element in Australia's national government. Ministers not included in Cabinet are referred to collectively as the Outer Ministry.

2.1 MINISTRIES SINCE 1901

Number of ministry

Ministry

Period of office

Party

1

Barton

1 January 1901 to 24 September 1903

Protectionist

2

Deakin

24 September 1903 to 27 April 1904

Protectionist

3

Watson

27 April 1904 to 17 August 1904

Australian Labor Party

4

Reid-McLean

18 August 1904 to 5 July 1905

Free Trade-Protectionist

5

Deakin

5 July 1905 to 13 November 1908

Protectionist

6

Fisher

13 November 1908 to 2 June 1909

Australian Labor Party

7

Deakin

2 June 1909 to 29 April 1910

Protectionist-Free Trade-Tariff Reform

8

Fisher

29 April 1910 to 24 June 1913

Australian Labor Party

9

Cook

24 June 1913 to 17 September 1914

Liberal

10

Fisher

17 September 1914 to 27 October 1915

Australian Labor Party

11

Hughes

27 October 1915 to 14 November 1916

Australian Labor Party

12

Hughes

14 November 1916 to 17 February 1917

Nationalist Labour

13

Hughes

17 February 1917 to 8 January 1918

Nationalist

14

Hughes

10 January 1918 to 9 February 1923

Nationalist

15

Bruce-Page

9 February 1923 to 22 October 1929

Nationalist-Country Party

16

Scullin

22 October 1929 to 6 January 1932

Australian Labor Party

17

Lyons

6 January 1932 to 7 November 1938

United Australia Party

18

Lyons

7 November 1938 to 7 April 1939

United Australia Party

19

Page

7 April 1939 to 26 April 1939

Country Party-United Australia Party

20

Menzies

26 April 1939 to 14 March 1940

United Australia Party

21

Menzies

14 March 1940 to 28 October 1940

United Australia Party-Country Party

22

Menzies

28 October 1940 to 29 August 1941

United Australia Party-Country Party

23

Fadden

29 August 1941 to 7 October 1941

Country Party-United Australia Party

24

Curtin

7 October 1941 to 21 September 1943

Australian Labor Party

25

Curtin

21 September 1943 to 6 July 1945

Australian Labor Party

26

Forde

6 July 1945 to 13 July 1945

Australian Labor Party

27

Chifley

13 July 1945 to 1 November 1946

Australian Labor Party

28

Chifley

1 November 1946 to 19 December 1949

Australian Labor Party

29

Menzies

19 December 1949 to 11 May 1951

Liberal-Country Party

30

Menzies

11 May 1951 to 11 January 1956

Liberal-Country Party

31

Menzies

11 January 1956 to 10 December 1958

Liberal-Country Party

32

Menzies

10 December 1958 to 18 December 1963

Liberal-Country Party

33

Menzies

18 December 1963 to 26 January 1966

Liberal-Country Party

34

Holt

26 January 1966 to 14 December 1966

Liberal-Country Party

35

Holt

14 December 1966 to 19 December 1967

Liberal-Country Party

36

McEwen

19 December 1967 to 10 January 1968

Liberal-Country Party

37

Gorton

10 January 1968 to 28 February 1968

Liberal-Country Party

38

Gorton

28 February 1968 to 12 November 1969

Liberal-Country Party

39

Gorton

12 November 1969 to 10 March 1971

Liberal-Country Party

40

McMahon

10 March 1971 to 5 December 1972

Liberal-Country Party

41

Whitlam

5 December 1972 to 19 December 1972

Australian Labor Party

42

Whitlam

19 December 1972 to 12 June 1974

Australian Labor Party

43

Whitlam

12 June 1974 to 11 November 1975

Australian Labor Party

44

Fraser

11 November 1975 to 22 December 1975

Liberal-Country Party

45

Fraser

22 December 1975 to 20 December 1977

Liberal-Country Party

46

Fraser

20 December 1977 to 3 November 1980

Liberal-Country Party

47

Fraser

3 November 1980 to 7 May 1982

Liberal-Country Party

48

Fraser

7 May 1982 to 11 March 1983

Liberal-Country Party

49

Hawke

11 March 1983 to 13 December 1984

Australian Labor Party

50

Hawke

13 December 1984 to 24 July 1987

Australian Labor Party

51

Hawke

24 July 1987 to 4 April 1990

Australian Labor Party

52

Hawke

4 April 1990 to 20 December 1991

Australian Labor Party

53

Keating

20 December 1991 to 27 December 1991

Australian Labor Party

54

Keating

27 December 1991 to 24 March 1993

Australian Labor Party

55

Keating

24 March 1993 to 11 March 1996

Australian Labor Party

56

Howard

11 March 1996 to 21 October 1998

Liberal-National Party of Australia

57

Howard

21 October 1998 to 26 November 2001

Liberal-National Party of Australia

58

Howard

26 November 2001

Liberal-National Party of Australia

Source: Department of the Parliamentary Library.

Particulars of the Third Howard Ministry, comprising Cabinet ministers and the Outer Ministry, are shown in table 2.2.

2.2 THIRD HOWARD MINISTRY - November 2003

CABINET MINISTERS

Prime Minister

The Hon. John Howard, MP

Minister for Transport and Regional Services (Deputy Prime Minister)

The Hon. John Anderson, MP

Treasurer

The Hon. Peter Costello, MP

Minister for Trade

The Hon. Mark Vaile, MP

Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Hon. Alexander Downer, MP

Minister for Defence (Leader of the Government in the Senate)

Senator the Hon. Robert Hill

Minister for Finance and Administration (Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate)

Senator the Hon. Nick Minchin, MP

Minister for Health and Ageing (Leader of the House)

The Hon. Tony Abbott, MP

Attorney-General

The Hon. Philip Ruddock, MP

Minister for the Environment and Heritage (Vice-President of the Executive Council)

The Hon. Dr David Kemp, MP

Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts

The Hon. Daryl Williams, AM, QC, MP

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

The Hon. Warren Truss, MP

Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Reconciliation

Senator the Hon. Amanda Vanstone

Minister for Education, Science and Training

The Hon. Dr Brendan Nelson, MP

Minister for Family and Community Services and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women

Senator the Hon. Kay Patterson

Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources

The Hon. Ian Macfarlane, MP

Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service

The Hon. Kevin Andrews, MP

OUTER MINISTRY

Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads (Manager of Government Business in the Senate)

Senator the Hon. Ian Campbell

Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer

Senator the Hon. Helen Coonan

Minister for Veterans' Affairs

The Hon. Danna Vale, MP

Special Minister of State

Senator the Hon. Eric Abetz

Minister for Ageing

The Hon. Julie Bishop, MP

Minister for Justice and Customs

Senator the Hon. Chris Ellison

Minister for the Arts and Sports

Senator the Hon. Rod Kemp

Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation

Senator the Hon. Ian Macdonald

Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister

The Hon. Gary Hardgrave, MP

Minister for Science (Deputy Leader of the House)

The Hon. Peter McGauran, MP

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The Hon. Larry Anthony, MP

Minister for Small Business and Tourism

The Hon. Joe Hockey, MP

Minister for Employment Services and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence

The Hon. Mal Brough, MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister

The Hon. Jackie Kelly, MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade

The Hon. De-Anne Kelly MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer

The Hon. Ross Cameron, MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Hon. Chris Gallus, MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence

The Hon. Fran Bailey, MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration

The Hon. Peter Slipper, MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing

The Hon. Trish Worth, MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage

The Hon. Dr Sharman Stone, MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Senator the Hon. Judith Troeth

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Family and Community Services

The Hon. Christopher Pyne, MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources

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